Friday, November 2, 2012

Roads, Travel, Fear = Adventures

Walk into the woods. Keep walking. Walk off tracks. Do
not plan where you are going. Take whatever directions appeal in the
moment. Keep walking. When (without realizing) you are lost, look
into the eyes of the dragon, then your adventure begins.
- Tom
Watercrag, "Chucking Out Agendas and Thriving Again"

First it is a challenge. Secondly you have to learn to
prepare meticulously, for your life may depend on the thoroughness
and extent of your planning. You have to get off your tail and spur
yourself to get going. You have to leave your comfortable slot and go
out where things are rough. You have to push into the background the
worry of the less likely hazards and make some bold judgements about
the more probable ones.

You learn not to be frightened by
fear. You discover what a fine piece of machinery the human body is
and that it can take a tremendous amount of stress before it breaks
down. You learn to make decisions and gradually you find your make
fewer and fewer mistakes. Your confidence grows and you discover
human resources which are ready to be called upon in time of future
crises. You learn something about human frailties and develop
sympathy for those weaker or less competent than yourself; you learn
to make a team out of group of individuals.
- Lord Hunt of
Llanfair Waterdine, KC, CBE, DSO

Today 2 November I decide to go find Cat
Lake.

On the spur of the moment Dalhouise and I were in the car
driving north. I read somewhere that the entrance was near Brohm Lake
so that was where I was heading. On the side of the road just a
little tiny sign stating to turn right in 400m. No sign proclaiming
that this was a provincial park – only a forestry service road. I
drive this loose gravel bumpy road pass a single lane bridge over a
fast moving stream.

This scenery was worth the trip in itself. I drive
further not sure if this was the route to Cat Lake or not.
Eventually a pick up truck comes towards me – I stop the driver as
he passes to ask him if I was indeed on my way to Cat Lake. Yes .. I
am about 1/3 the way there and when I pull into a large parking lot
that would be it: but I would have to walk to the lake.

Motivated now to keep going forward -on I go with the
next fear attacking my mind. What if I blow out one of my tires –
after all this was a rugged rocky road. Thoughts returned to Cyprus
when myself and three fellow cooks rented a very small car and went
touring. AWOL we drove and toured around with out a care in the
world. We had money – we had a vehicle – we had a weekend off.
We wanted to see as much as we could. We stayed on the main highways
at first but then we decided to hit the back roads which led to a
very difficult situation. Important lesson learned - not all roads
lead somewhere. We drove from a paved road to a gravel road to a
narrow dirt road going up. The steering wheel is on the right side of
the car so I do not comprehend the danger at first. The road becomes
more narrow – turns into a path. That created a problem – I could
not turn around – on the left side is a major drop straight down a
mountain. We discovered that by accident – a huge rock had rolled
onto the road and we had to get out of the car – my friend if he
had not hung onto the door would had slipped to his death – we
could not get out on the left side. Well the boulder was rolled off
the road and we had to keep going up – with the assumption all road
lead some where – now that I knew the danger I hugged the right
side of the mountain and that was when the first tired blew. No
problem we changed it and kept going up. If I remember correctly
within five minutes we blew the second tire. Now what do we do? Keep
going up – no choice – no cell phones – no possibility of
turning – and I certainly was not going to try to back down off the
mountain. Well we drove with a flat tire to the top of the mountain
and the road just stopped in mid air. There was space to do a three
point turn and with help of my friends we did just that. Down the
mountain we travel. Looking out my right hand window as I steer the
car I see space – looking down I see the drop and this creates
great fear. I hug the left side of the mountain and there goes
another tire. Now I am driving on two flat tires so slowly down the
mountain.. We drive back to the pavement and bump slowly to some
houses. We call our superiors and ask for them to send help. We were
told to wait.. and wait we did – all that day – all that night –
all the next morning and finally late in the afternoon help arrives.
We get our tires changed and we head back to the base. Rumors of our
adventure had spread far and wide through out the army bases. AWOL –
we were all to be back to work earlier that morning and so our
sergeants and warrant officers had to do our work – Four low
ranking cooks missing from two kitchens – and the troops had to
eat. My sergeant wanted to punish me for the remaining of my tour of
duty – but when we were brought up on court-marshal charges the
base commander dropped all charges. We did everything according to
protocol and it was an accident and we did called for help and if
they had responded properly we would had been back in time.

That was then – today is now and here I am driving
with no map on a rough service road once again. Not sure exactly
where I am going, somethings never change. Well I do find the
parking lot and off Dalhouise and I go. I follow the paths assuming
like Alice Lake the trail will circle the lake. I take a couple of
paths away from the main trail to look around – then it comes to my
attention that I am not certain where this trail goes and that I am
not prepared to get lost . I did not bring my day pack with compass,
matches, drinks or food. I am not sure even how large this lake is
but I decide to keep following the trail and keep the lake on my
right side. Conquering the fear of getting lost I grow anxious about
meeting a bear or cougar and yes my whistle is in the day pack. The
park law is to keep dogs on a lease – no one is here I am all alone
– it would be easier to let Dalhouise just run free – but then
what if we meet a bear or a cougar or deer –I wanted him close to
me – not sure what kind of protection I can offer but still I kept
him on the lease. Dalhouise and I walked on and circled the lake in
approximately an hour – when Noni comes back we will do this again
together I am thinking.

Tomorrow I am making plans to hit the trails again, but
this time I am bringing the day pack. I have loaded it up with fresh
drinks – snacks – confirmed contents of whistle, matches,
compass, map and hat. Thinking that I will leave Dalhouise home –
but not sure just yet. Fear of meeting a cougar or bear is looming
large in my mind these days – I think Dalhouise is bite size
appetizer.